My Personal Journey

My journey to discover the secrets of the real Mediterranean Diet began in my consulting rooms in Cambridge over twenty years ago. I picked up a copy of a respected medical journal and started to read a statistical analysis showing the rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, dementia and cancer amongst different European populations. The health and longevity of people living on the shores of a Greek island or amongst the olive groves of central Spain was quite extraordinary. 

 

My interest increased over time as scientific research began to reveal just how powerful this diet can be. I began to tell the stories of the Mediterranean Diet to patients and colleagues, with a particular focus on how best to support others to discover and share the extraordinary benefits of this way of life. 

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For some there have been moments of epiphany, when an understanding of the way the diet works has sparked profound changes in their life which can be measured in their improved health and wellbeing.

 

Others simply adopt the Mediterranean Diet because it is such a pleasurable way to enjoy truly wholesome foods and to celebrate the art of preparing and sharing simple, yet exquisite meals. In my experience it is the understanding and enjoyment of the Mediterranean Diet which results in an enduring love affair with the lifestyle. 

 

As a physician an important part of my role is to communicate messages of health clearly and succinctly to make a difference in our busy lives. My job is to translate the complexities of the science of health into ideas which can be easily understood and enable the creation of manageable, achievable, and rewarding positive changes.

 

Some time ago, as it became apparent that the majority of chronic illnesses might be prevented through lifestyle changes, I began to advise my patients in Cambridge to adopt a more Mediterranean way of eating. 

 

Many were astonished at improvements in their blood pressure, cholesterol levels, weight and even their sense of happiness and wellbeing. They reported feeling fitter and more energetic. But what became clear was that although it was easy to give general lifestyle advice, it was impossible to fully explain the Mediterranean Diet in a short consultation.

 

I now spend much of my time speaking to different audiences on the subject of the Mediterranean Diet. They tell me that they simply did not know what they did not know. 

 

My ambition is to change lives – to dramatically and permanently make a difference to our health and enjoyment of life.